Duty Demands Part Deux, a Giveaway, and Other News

I am thrilled to announce that big things have been happening for me this year! It’s been a busy, busy past three months!

First, my best-selling story Duty Demands was re-published by Kindle Press on July 10th! The weeks prior to publishing were full of edits, revisions and consultations with friends and family.This is the same great story you may have read already, but there have been some minor changes here and there and a little bit of material added. Plus, the new edition has a brand new cover! I hope you like it as much as I do. Thank you to everyone who has supported me with their enthusiastic response or by leaving a review!

Second, my web site and blog, http://www.elaineowenauthor.com, are in the middle of a major re-do! Back in May I decided to upgrade a bit and hired someone online to re-do the site for me. In the process, I learned several valuable lessons:

When you’re hiring someone with whom you will need to share detailed instructions about something that does not yet exist, it’s probably best to hire someone who speaks the same first language as you.

It’s definitely better to work with someone in the same time zone.

It’s really, really difficult to explain exactly what you want in a web site when all communications are going via email or messenger.

Once I realized that hiring a stranger on the net to do this kind of work wasn’t a great idea, I got smart and hired someone in person. 🙂 Hopefully the new web site will be worth the lessons learned! The new site should be ready to go “live” sometime on Saturday, July 22nd.

And lastly, work continues on my upcoming story, An Unexpected Turn of Events. This story tells what happens when Mr. Bennet unexpectedly outlives his wife and has to find a new place in the world. In the process he will learn to look at himself honestly and confront some of the character flaws he has managed to avoid all of his adult life. Hopefully it will be published in early 2018!

And now: THE FUN STUFF! In honor of these three events, I am giving away three e-copies of any book of mine that you want! That includes the new edition of Duty Demands. To enter, just comment below and tell me which book you would choose and why. Three winners will be picked at random; your comment needs to be posted by midnight EST on Friday, July 28th in order to be eligible to win. Good luck to everyone!

Excerpt from Duty Demands:

Darcy pressed Elizabeth’s hand in his. “I regret that you found my conversation less than adequate during our courtship. I hope it did not distress you.”

Elizabeth gave him a startled look. “Our courtship, sir?”

“Yes, before I proposed.” He said this in such a matter-of-fact tone that Elizabeth stopped walking to stare at him.

“Sir, my father’s sudden passing may have removed certain events from my mind, but I must admit that I do not recall a courtship occurring between us when you made your offer to my uncle.”

He gave a slight smile. “Of course I did not court you while you were in mourning; I am speaking of the time when you were visiting your friend. Do you not remember our walks together in the morning, and when I called on you at the parsonage?”

“There were only three walks, and your cousin accompanied you to the parsonage!”

“So you do recall. I regret that you had to wait so many weeks to receive my offer. I would have made it to you before you left your friend’s house if other events had not intervened.”

Elizabeth, amazed by his presumption, looked away. At length she said, uncomfortably, “I was not waiting for your proposal, sir.”

“You were not?”

“No. An offer from you was the furthest thing from my mind, I assure you.”

Darcy frowned slightly. “You had no idea of my interest in you at all?”

“None whatsoever. Charlotte-” she paused, embarrassed. “Charlotte told me that she suspected you of an interest in me, but I did not believe her.”

He smiled, bemused. “Perhaps it is fortunate that I approached your uncle first instead of you, so that you were not startled into rejecting me by mistake. That would have been a sorry surprise for me.”

She had a difficult time comprehending his lighthearted comment. Clearly, it had never occurred to Darcy that she might not respond favorably to him. Resentment swelled at his easy assurance. “Indeed, had you asked at a different time, I might have been tempted to give you a different answer,” she said archly, hoping her husband would not examine her words too closely. “Look, I believe I see Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley returning through that grove of trees. We must move to intercept them before they reach the house.”

Elizabeth’s strategy worked. Darcy, apparently believing she spoke in jest, smiled at her in a rather distracted fashion, and together they made their way to Georgiana. The conversation with her husband was dropped, and the topic was not raised again that day.

35 Responses to Duty Demands Part Deux, a Giveaway, and Other News

I love your books and would enjoy any one of them again, I’m sure. My sympathies in your website adventure, as I have had some similar challenges in finding and editing website copywriters. As I have often told my daughter (who married a man from the Philippines), “just because someone speaks English, it doesn’t mean he or she understands you.” Love your humor in all your stories.

I read Duty Demands on Kindle Unlimited and would love to win a copy of the republished Duty Demands. I really appreciate that you publish your books for Kindle Unlimited as I feel that it is the Lending Library in Jane Austen’s time! I had to chuckle about your wading through the new web site construction, but I know it really wasn’t funny at the time. Thank you for the excerpt and giveaway. Keep writing – your books are fabulous.

Congratulations on the unveiling of your new website, Elaine. I had a peek at it and it looks quite professional. I’m sorry you have to go through some difficulties before you had this one. And the new book cover is gorgeous, much better than the old edition. Hopefully the older books will get a new cover makeover too.

Congratulations on your new site and that things are going so well for you at the moment. I just finished reading Mr. Darcy’s Persistent Pursuit (and reviewed it on Goodreads) and really enjoyed it so I might want Love’s Fool: The Taming of Lydia Bennet if I won although I also might want One False Step: A Pride and Prejudice Variation instead since it is also on my TBR list. Thank you for the chance to win an eBook and good luck to everyone else.

Congratulations on the new book and website! Quite an accomplishment! I would like to read Mr. Darcy’s Persistent Pursuit. I am interested to see how he goes about finding out why he was rejected. How long does it take him to accept that his proposal was atrocious?

Congratulations on the book and the web site. I maintain my company’s web site and understand your pain (from the developer’s side!) I’ve had people say “create a web site for me” but they do not provide any content, guidance, images or feedback. How do you create something when you have no idea what it is about?? Good luck with both. And thanks for the chance to win a copy of one of your books.

I already own the original Duty Demands… I may have to look at the new and revised version. I look forward to An Unexpected Turn of Events. Every time I read that statement from Mr. Bennet… I always want to explore that story line. Blessings on your new website and hopefully things will go more smoothly. And, blessings on your launch of your old and new books. Have a blessed day.

How wonderful. I have read the original more than once and look forward to the new version. I believe that when we learn from experiences, good or bad, our lives are enriched. Looking forward to the release of ypur WIP.

I read Duty Demands avid thought it a fantastic story!
The next book is like to read is Mr Darcy’s Persistent Persuit! It sounds intriguing as Lizzy refuses his proposal without the anger and hurt,in canon.

Therefore Darcy,while rejected,is left without rhyme or reason as to the reason for such a refusal. Therefore how he will endeavour to correct past mistakes and see the error of his ways is one intriguing aspect to this story! How is a HEA to be achieved?

Thank you,Elaine,for the opportunity to win a copy of your book. Hope your website is everything you dreamed it would be!! ??

Congratulations on so many wonderful things concluding. Hard work it was, too! I enjoy reading your books and am anxious for your next one and sad that I need to wait until 2018. I know it will be worth it. Thank you for your edits and your clever ideas. Much apprecations!

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